


Blood For Blood

by TheBloodsuckerProxy



Category: Sister Claire (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen, Horror, Mystery, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29148441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBloodsuckerProxy/pseuds/TheBloodsuckerProxy
Summary: A prequel to The Plague Witch, featuring my OC Hoshiko as a novice before she lost her eyesight. Hoshiko and her mentor, Sister Cora investigate a disturbing incident in the city of Salvation.
Kudos: 2





	Blood For Blood

“Hoshiko, come here a moment.”

“Sister Cora?” Hoshiko approaches the spot where her teacher is kneeling by the side of the road. As she takes a knee beside her, Cora hands her a branching green stem.

“Hoshiko, can you tell me what this is?”

“It’s hemlock, Sister Cora.”

“Very good, and what can hemlock be used for?”

“It doesn’t have any medicinal uses but it’s highly toxic and can be used to make poisons. Helsings have no use for such a thing.”

Sister Cora frowns ever so slightly. Her brow creases and her tone becomes noticeably more somber.

“No? What of educational purposes? You yourself said that it was used to make poisons, is it so far-fetched to think someone might use it against us? Come, help me collect some samples.”

Hoshiko can barely comprehend Sister Cora’s words. The Helsings are protecting people! They saved her life! Her confusion doesn’t go unnoticed; standing, Sister Cora says, “Many of the monsters we kill were once human, and there are those who are unable to accept that their loved ones are beyond saving. They see us as murderers, cold and unfeeling, and so they resent us.” Stowing the gathered stems in one of her herb pouches, she stands upright and surveys the sky. “The sun will be setting soon. We passed a clearing about ten minutes ago. We’ll double back and make camp there for the night; we should reach Salvation by midday tomorrow.”

\---

Sure enough, the pair arrive at the gates of Salvation just before midday, and Hoshiko has all but forgotten Sister Cora’s troubling statements from the previous day. The nun working the gatehouse approaches the Helsings. She’s young, she’s likely only recently taken vows, Hoshiko thinks.

“Report.” barks Sister Cora.

“You Helsings always get right to the point, don’t you?” The young nun smiles playfully.  
“Report!” She says again, louder. More insistent. “You summoned us because you have a problem and the sooner we know what it is, the sooner we can take care of it for you.”

“Er, yes, of course…” The young nun’s face falls, her tone becoming more serious to match as she motions the Helsings into the gatehouse. “It started a few weeks ago, as far as we can tell. Nothing too out of the ordinary at first, a few pets went missing, but then there were attacks on livestock, and then last week a young man was menaced by something in the stables. He said it was… eating one of the horses.”

“And you were able to confirm this.” Sister Cora doesn’t like hearsay.

“The horse’s throat was torn out.”

A crease forms on Sister Cora’s brow. “Did this young man give you a description of what attacked him?”

“He said he couldn’t see it very well, the sun was setting, but it was small and moved very quickly.”

“Hmm. And there haven’t been any other witnesses?”

“None, or at least none who’ve come forward.”

Cora considers what she’s heard very carefully. Hoshiko thinks she looks as though one could hear wheels turning in her head if they listened hard enough.

“Have you any suspects? Perhaps someone new to the city.”

“People come and go from Salvation every day, Sister.”

“Did anyone arrive at around the same time animals started to disappear?”

The young nun has to think for a moment before answering.

“There was one. A young woman - a witch, actually – with her daughter, they arrived in the morning just before dawn. I remember because the girl had been attacked by something and her mother was in a panic.”

“What happened to the girl?” Hoshiko asks, barely hiding the worry in her voice. She suspects she already knows the answer.

The nun’s face falls again “I’m afraid she didn’t survive. She had already lost too much blood by the time they arrived.”

Hoshiko lowers her gaze. Sister Cora places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Is the girl’s mother still in the city? I’d like to speak with her.”

“You don’t think whatever killed that little girl could have gotten into the city do you?”

Hoshiko winces. Sister Cora hates for her questions to be answered with another question.

“I’d just like to speak with her, if she’s still here.” Replies Cora coldly. If the young nun notices her brisk tone, she doesn’t show any sign.

“Oh yes, she’s staying with her brother. She told us that they were stopping here to visit him on their way further south when the attack happened. Said they were on a pilgrimage of some kind. You’ve no doubt heard there’s a city for witches, far to the South.”

“Eden. Yes, we’ve heard of it. I’d like the address where she’s staying if you don’t mind.”

\--- 

The address is that of a general store in the city’s inner ring. A sign above the door reads “ARDELEAN GENERAL GOODS”. Nothing particularly special about it at first glance, a small shop on the ground floor, living space above, cellar below. But the inner ring is warded. Because the inner ring is where witches live. Hoshiko remembers this because Sister Cora made her study a map of the city on the way there. “I want you to be able to navigate these streets blindfolded,” she had said. Years later, Hoshiko will remember that moment and think it humorous in a twisted sort of way. Behind the counter stands an intense looking man with a thick mustache covering his mouth and eyebrows to match. When he speaks to the nuns Hoshiko can immediately recognize the thick mountain accent in his voice. It’s the same accent as Mother Abraham’s pupil, Olga.

“We don’t often get Sisters here, is there something I can help you find?”

“We’d like to speak to Mr. Ardelean, the owner.” Sister Cora, always straight to the point.

“Yes, I am Dorin Ardelean. What can I do for you?”

“Well as a matter of fact Mr. Ardelean, we’d like to talk to your sister.”

“Larisa is not up for visitors, I’m afraid. She just recently lost her daughter, little Mina.” Hoshiko spots Dorin’s eyes beginning to show the telltale shimmer of tears to come before he quickly points them to the floor.

“That’s actually what we want to talk to her about.”

Dorin looks up at them. “No, absolutely not,” he says, his voice quivering with equal parts worry and rage. “She has… she has been through enough already. Any questions you have for her were already answered for the sisters at the gate.”

“I’m afraid I have to insist,” Says Cora, “she may have information that could help in our assignment.”

“You think I don’t know who you are? I recognize that Helsing cross around your neck!” Dorin snaps, “I know what your kind think of magick! If you think my sister could have ever harmed-”

“Mr. Ardelean,” Sister Cora raises her voice to match his, but her tone is one of more annoyance than anything else “we did not come here to accuse your sister of anything, however her daughter was killed by something dangerous, and that something may now be inside the city. She is the only one who saw what happened, and we need her help. May we please speak to her?”

They stand there, the three of them, Cora and Dorin staring daggers into each other until Hoshiko steps forward to break the silence.

“Please, Mr. Ardelean,” she says, “people could be in danger.”

“I- er yes. Yes, of course. Forgive me.” Dorin says, clearly ashamed of his outburst, and motions for the Sisters to follow him up the stairs, “You understand my nervousness. Helsings and witches, they do not always… agree, yes?”

“Yes, I understand” says Cora.

They stop at a locked door at the end of the hall with a bowl of cold oatmeal sitting untouched on the floor in front of it.

“Maybe while you’re in there you can convince her to eat something.”

Dorin sets Larisa’s breakfast aside and taps gently on the door.

“Larisa? There are some people here to talk to you.”

Silence.

“Larisa, please open the door, they’re here to help.”

Still no answer. Dorin heaves a weary sigh and rests his head against the door. Then softly, his voice wet with barely-restrained tears:

“Larisa please, please open the door. For… for me. Please.”

Still no voice on the other side of the door. But slowly, hesitantly, the latch is undone and the door swings open. On the other side stands a tall, thin woman with black hair to match her brother. Her eyes are red and cheeks wet with fresh tears.

“Larisa Ardelean? My name is Sister Cora and this is Sister Hoshiko. We’d like to speak with you if that’s alright.”

Larisa’s eyes flit nervously to the crosses the Sisters wear around their necks, then to her brother. He nods once, in answer to an unsaid question. She motions the Sisters inside, moving away from the doorway. The inside of Larisa’s bedroom is unremarkable, a wooden bed, a bedside table, and a tall dresser are the only furnishings. In a far corner, Hoshiko sees a small travel bag that hasn’t been unpacked. The nuns enter the plain room, but Sister Cora holds out her hand to keep Dorin from following.

“It would be best if we spoke to her alone.”

Dorin looks to his sister, asking her a silent question now.

“It’s okay, Dorin go tend to the shop. It’s fine.” Larisa’s voice is soft and shy. Hoshiko thinks that she sounds kind, but most of all she sounds sad and weary.

Hesitantly, Dorin closes the door to Larisa’s room, leaving the three alone to speak.

“What do you need from me, Sisters?”

“We’ve come to ask you some questions regarding your daughter’s death,” Sister Cora, always right to the point “we’re concerned that whatever killed her may have gotten into the city.”

Larisa’s face displays in equal measure disbelief, horror, and grief.

“N-no that… that’s impossible. It-it’s dead! I-I-I killed it! It can’t be-”

Hoshiko steps forward, hands outstretched as if to wade through the woman’s shock.

“Ssshh, shhh it’s okay. Just… just tell us what happened to Mina.”

Larisa looks at Hoshiko, fresh tears spilling from her eyes. She sniffles and sucks in a rapid gulp of air. Pointing her eyes at her lap, she begins to speak again.

“We had made camp about five miles outside the gates. I was having trouble sleeping so I stepped outside for some air and I heard Mina scream.”

Another sharp intake of breath.

“I ran back to the tent and when I got there I saw there was this… thing dragging her into the woods. It was… it was biting her. I don’t quite remember what happened next, I-I think I screamed and then it saw me and there must not have been anything to use as a weapon because I used my magick. After I was sure it was dead I ran to check on Mina and…”

She pauses again to compose herself, another cascade of tears threatening to break free.

“Th-there was all this blood and she was crying and I panicked, I picked her up and I ran, I just left the campsite and ran to the city as fast as I could and begged them to let me in but by the time we got inside Mina… she had lost so much blood she was in a daze. She didn’t know where we were; she kept asking if we had gotten to Eden. I told her that yes, yes we had and then she smiled and then… then….” She can’t hold herself together anymore and she breaks down sobbing. Hoshiko offers her hand to the weeping Larisa. She accepts, albeit with some slight hesitation. 

“It’s all right. Let it all out.”

Sister Cora, usually so commanding can’t help but show some sympathy. “Take your time.” she says as softly as she can manage. They sit there, the three of them, in silence broken only by the occasional gasping breath from Larisa. When her tears have all run out and her eyes are dry, Larisa sits upright again and looks to Sister Cora.

“I-I’m ready to continue.” she says, sniffling.

“You don’t have to.” Hoshiko says, earning a stern look from Cora.

“It’s alright, Sister. I’m alright.”

Still softly, but with some of her typical authoritative air restored, Cora asks “Can you tell us anything about what attacked your daughter?”

“N-no, it was dark, I couldn’t see it clearly.”

“You said you killed it. Do you think you could show us where? Perhaps seeing the body could shed some light.”

“I-I could take you there, yes. B-but I’m afraid…” She closes her eyes and takes several deep, measured breaths. Regaining her composure, she uncurls the fingers in her free hand and the wards in the windows begin to crackle as a small blue flame erupts into view and dances on her palm. She stares numbly at the flame and speaks with a sort of dark satisfaction. “…I’m afraid there wasn’t much of it left.”

\---

As the Helsings exit Larisa’s room and descend the stairs they’re met by a worried Dorin.

“What did she say?”

“We found out what we needed to know from her. I had hoped you could tell us what became of Mina’s body.”

“M-Mina’s… body? Why?”

“We’d like to pay our respects if that’s alright. I would have asked your sister but I’m afraid the subject of her daughter rather upset her. I thought it best not to press any more than I needed to.”

“Er, yes of course. She’s buried in the city cemetery. The nun at the gatehouse, Sister Grace helped us make the arrangements. I’ll be closing shop soon, I can take you there.”

\--- 

Dorin leads the Sisters down the cobblestone streets, walking a few paces ahead of them. He doesn’t say anything, only occasionally looks over his shoulder to check that they’re still following him. As they walk, Sister Cora glances sideways at Hoshiko.

“Hoshiko, based on what Larisa told us, what is your assessment of the situation?”

She almost sounds as if the two of them are in a classroom at the abbey, rather than in Salvation hunting monsters.

“Well it seems like we’re back where we started. If Larisa killed the creature that attacked her daughter then the attacks in the city can’t be related.”

“Can we be certain of that? We don’t even know what killed the girl; perhaps it survived. Perhaps there was more than just the one. Or…”

Sister Cora doesn’t finish her next thought, but Hoshiko can see the familiar worried crease that her brow forms.

“… Sister?”

“I’d rather not say until I can be certain.”

They arrive at the cemetery as the sun begins to vanish behind the horizon. Dorin leads them through the rows of marble headstones until finally arriving at a plot nestled in the lengthening shadow of the city wall. He stops abruptly and both he and Cora are clearly troubled by what they see. Hoshiko looks down and feels her own stomach drop and her hand shoots up to cover her mouth. The earth appears to have been excavated and the small marble headstone is flecked with dried mud and covered in shallow nicks. Most troubling of all, what appear to be handprints. Small ones. Sister Cora frowns.

“This is what I was afraid of.”

\---

“Bloodteeth?” The nun from the gatehouse, Sister Grace, stands at the disturbed grave with Sister Cora. The color drains from her face as the word leaves her mouth. A few steps away, Hoshiko can see Dorin being tended to by another nun. He already threw up in the bushes once and he looks as though he’s ready to go a second time. “How is that possible? Th-the wall! The wards! How could this have happened?”

“They would have kept it out normally but it was born inside the city. The girl was still human when she came through the gate. She must have turned not long after she was buried.”

“So where is she now?”

“Who can say? I suspect it’s been hiding in the sewers between feedings, but with the sun down, it can move freely.”

“H-how much time passes between… between feedings?”

“Bloodteeth usually need to feed at least once every five days.”

“But the last attack was a week ago! M-maybe it’s left the city!” Sister Grace offers hopefully.

“The last attack that you know of. It wouldn’t leave such a heavily populated area. It’s a perfect hunting ground. No, it’s definitely still in the city.”

“So… what do we do?”

“We’ll need to chart all of the creature’s known attacks, maybe we can find a pattern. Additionally, we have to impose a citywide curfew to keep people off the streets after dark. You’ve been lucky so far, but sooner or later it’s going to cross paths with another person.”

At this, Dorin makes that second trip to the bushes.

Sister Cora sighs. “We should escort Mr. Ardelean home.” She says, resigned. “Sister Grace, I trust you can handle things here?”

“O-of course, Sister.” Grace looks like she’s not entirely sure about that. She looks like she might take Dorin’s place in the bushes.

“Excellent. We’ll meet you at the gatehouse once we’ve dropped Mr. Ardelean at home.”

\---

As they enter the store, Dorin looks up the stairs to Larisa’s room, a mixture of dread and sadness marking his face. He lets out a long, weary sigh.  
“Gods give me strength.”

“Maybe it’s best not to tell your sister, at least not yet.” Hoshiko thinks of the way Larisa had cried and cried earlier that day.

“No, She will hear of it sooner or later, it’s best she hear it from me.”

Hoshiko offers up a small smile. “Good luck, Mr. Ardelean.”

Dorin smiles too, despite himself. “Thank you, young Sister. To you as well.”

\---

The sisters spend their days pouring over maps of Salvation’s sewers, marking locations of known attacks, searching for some kind of pattern. The night after their discovery at the graveyard, a dog goes missing. A few days later a chicken coop in the middle ring is broken into. Both incidents occur within sight of drains and gutters, ones just big enough for a child to crawl through. A thought that sends a chill up Hoshiko’s spine.

“The stables are as close to the wall as it’s gotten,” says Cora, looking over their map one evening, “after that it doubles back and moves deeper into the city.”

“If the pattern holds, it’ll most likely strike in the inner ring next. We could set up an ambush.” Hoshiko says.

“There’s far too much ground to cover. And besides, there’s no discernable pattern to when it feeds; we can’t be certain of when it will strike.”

“It always attacks near drains, and we have a map showing where those are. I’m certain the city could spare enough sisters to cover most of them. And it’s been three days since the last attack, the next one must be coming soon.”

Cora smiles, unable to hide her pride.

“You’ve given this a good deal of thought, Hoshiko. It’s nearly five o’clock now, time enough to enlist some help and take positions. And if nothing else, we’ll have a chance to pay Mr. Ardelean’s store another visit; we’ve nearly gone through all of the tea I brought with us.”

\---

It’s not yet sundown when they’ve set up their ambush of sorts. As Cora predicted, there aren’t enough sisters to cover the entire inner ring, especially with them working in pairs. They focus their efforts on the eastern side, the direction of the previous attack, and the most likely place for the creature to emerge. With time to kill before it gets dark, Cora and Hoshiko decide to make that promised visit to Mr. Ardelean’s store.

They enter and find it much the same as it was a week prior, as is Dorin Ardelean himself.

“Sisters!” he shouts from behind the counter, clearly surprised to see them but far less nervous than their previous encounter, “What brings you?”

“Tea,” says Sister Cora, always right to the point, “we’ve nearly run out and our assignment happened to bring us back here.”

“Your assignment? You don’t need to speak to Larisa again, do you? She was so upset when I told her about Mina. I’m sure you can imagine.”

“We just happened to be in the inner ring tonight,” Hoshiko says, “although I wouldn’t mind checking in on her if that’s alright.”

“I’m afraid she isn’t in at the moment, she’s gone out for a walk. She’s been going out in the evenings this past week. She’s always back before the curfew, mind you; I think she’s just trying to distract herself.” For a brief moment, Dorin’s eyes get a sad, distant look to them. Just as fast as it came, it disappears, however. “Ah, but you have work tonight, no time for idle chatter! Let us do business; I have some interesting blends to choose from here…”

\---  
Their supply of tea replenished, Hoshiko and Cora take up their position as the sun begins to sink into the horizon. They wait there, the two of them, student and teacher. Cora keeps her eyes fixed on the gutter across the street, but Hoshiko can’t help but turn hers skyward. It’s a nice night. The stars are a bit harder to see from Salvation’s lamp-lit streets, but she can still make them out. She closes her eyes and breathes in the warm summer air. On nights like this, when she was very little, her mother would take her out and they would look at the stars. Sometimes she thinks she can almost remember the way her mother sounded.

Hoshiko, my little star...

Moments like this, quiet moments, seem few and far between for Hoshiko and she intends to take full advantage of it. 

As expected, the quiet is soon broken by a loud pop echoing through the street accompanied by the sight of a flare shooting upward from a spot two blocks away. Cora and Hoshiko rush to the flare’s point of origin, loading crossbows as they run. The two of them turn a corner and draw a bead on… Dorin Ardelean? He is currently standing in front of Sister Grace, holding his hands up as if signalling a surrender.

“Please forgive me sister; I didn't mean to startle you!”

“Mr. Ardelean, there is a curfew,” says Cora, not even trying to hide her annoyance.

“Yes, I know! That is why I am out here!”

“... I don’t follow.”

“It’s Larisa! She has not returned home yet!”

Hoshiko’s heart drops into her stomach. Without meaning to, her hand shoots out and grips Cora’s arm like a vise. 

Putting a reassuring hand on Hoshiko’s shoulder, Cora says “I see. However, we cannot have both of you on the street past curfew,” turning to Hoshiko she says “I’d like you to escort Mr. Ardelean back to his home. I’ll join you there once I’ve informed the other Sisters of the situation.”

“But-” Hoshiko and Dorin both say at once.

“No buts,” says Cora, as if scolding unruly children, “I promise we will see Larisa home safely; now go.”

And so they go, Hoshiko leading Mr. Ardelean by the arm back to his store where they were making small talk only hours before.

“I’m certain Larisa just lost track of time,” Hoshiko says, more to herself than to Mr. Ardelean, “she’ll probably be back and wondering where you’ve gone by the time we get there.”

“I hope so, Sister.”

Neither of them speaks after that, Hoshiko only tries in vain to banish the image of poor Larisa lying dead at the feet of a monster that had once been her own child. She thinks how Larisa would react to seeing the creature. Would she be scared? Angry? Perhaps she would abandon all reason and attempt to embrace her former daughter, only to die confused and heartbroken. Her stomach turns at the thought.

Hoshiko barely even notices when they return to Dorin’s store. The familiar front door almost seems to sneak up on her, startling her awake. They stand there for a few moments, the two of them. Neither one sure what to say or do now.

“I’m certain she’s fine,” Hoshiko says at last.

“Yes, of course,” says Dorin, sounding very unconvinced.

Just as she reaches for the knob, Hoshiko finds herself being startled by the door once again as it suddenly swings open and they see a very surprised looking Larisa on the other side.

“Dorin! Sister Hoshiko! What on Earth are you doing out here?”

“Looking for you!” Dorin and Hoshiko both say at once.

Dorin continues, “You were out past the curfew! I was worried sick!”

Larisa’s eyes flit back into the shop and her face takes on a guilty expression.

“I’m sorry I worried you, Dorin. And you as well, Sister.”

“I’m just glad you’re safe,” Hoshiko says. “Sister Cora will be happy to hear it as well.”

And speaking of Sister Cora, “What will I be happy to hear?” she says, approaching the three of them in the doorway.

“Oh, Sister Cora! I’m terribly sorry to have worried you all, I simply lost track of time,” says Larisa.

Cora smiles and says, “Hoshiko’s right, I am glad to hear it. I had hoped that would be the case. Now, I’m afraid we’ve taken enough of your time, may I steal Hoshiko away from you?”

“What is it, Sister?” Hoshiko asks.

“Something best discussed in private.”

“It’s about Mina isn’t it?” Larisa says. It’s not really a question.

Cora stands silent for an uncomfortable amount of time before saying as gently as she can manage, “It’s best you not concern yourself with such things. It can bring you only more pain” She doesn’t say so, but Hoshiko knows she speaks from experience. “Goodnight, Larisa. We’re sorry to have bothered you.”

As the two of them step back out into the dark, quiet street, Hoshiko asks, “What is it we need to discuss?”

“A rabbit hutch belonging to a restaurant three doors down from Mr. Ardelean’s shop was broken into and a rabbit taken.”

Hoshiko shudders to think just how close Larisa came to encountering her former daughter. Trying to push the thought away, she says, “How could it have gotten past us?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe there’s something we missed; maybe it passed us by while we were busy with Mr. Ardelean. Whatever the case, we’ll get another chance. Don’t worry.”

\---

After that, a week passes without incident. Then another. Hoshiko fills out a report for Mother Abraham while an increasingly frustrated Cora paces the room, idly toying with her rosary.

“Sister, please sit down for a moment. Your tea will get cold.”

“Two weeks since the last attack! It should have shown itself by now!”

“Maybe Sister Grace was right about it leaving the city.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Even if it had a reason to leave it shouldn’t be able to. The wall and the wards should be keeping it in.”

Hoshiko reaches across the table and snatches Cora’s cup. Sister Cora may be willing to let tea go to waste, but Hoshiko won’t.

“Maybe it’s dead. How long can bloodteeth go without feeding?”

“Not for two weeks.”

“Maybe the danger’s passed.”

“Maybe. Still, I’d feel better if we had some solid answers, if for no other reason than to give poor Larisa some closure. Are you… are you drinking my tea?”

Hoshiko smiles. “You weren’t going to drink it.”

\---

Another week passes without incident. Hoshiko writes another report detailing how there is nothing to report. Two days later, a reply comes.

“Damn.” Sister Cora mutters, holding Mother Abraham’s letter in a clenched fist.

“Sister?”

“Hoshiko, pack your things, we’ve been called back to the abbey.”

“But the job’s not done.”

“Mother Abraham believes that after three weeks with no incidents, the people of Salvation are no longer in any immediate danger. And there is a great deal of work to do elsewhere. She assures me she will be monitoring the situation and if anything changes we’ll return.”

“Someone could be dead before we get another chance here.”

“I know, Hoshiko but this is the nature of our work. You know that.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Cora smiles. “I don’t expect you to.”

Hoshiko looks out the window, surveying the city. A thought crosses her mind.

“Sister Cora? I’d like to visit the Ardeleans again.”

“Whatever for?”

“I want to let them know we’re leaving, say goodbye. And… I’d like to tell Larisa sorry. That we couldn’t give her any closure.”

Cora considers carefully. “Hm. I suppose we owe them that much. We can delay leaving for a few hours to see them.”

It turns out they don’t have to go far to see Dorin as they spot him just as they’re leaving the aviary.

“Mr Ardelean!”

“Sister Hoshiko and Sister Cora! What a surprise!” He says, a wide smile barely visible under his enormous mustache.

Cora chuckles, “As a matter of fact, we were on our way to see you.”

“Whatever for?”

“We’ve been summoned back to the Helsing Abbey, and Hoshiko thought we should inform you and your sister in person… and make our apologies.”

“I see. Well, I promised Larisa I would send these letters before nightfall, and then I can bring you to see her.”

As they make their way to Dorin’s shop, the conversation turns to Larisa’s correspondence.

“Did she tell you who she was writing to?”

“One letter was for her friend already in Eden, sending her regrets that she won’t be reaching the city. The other letter was for the Bright One if you can believe it. She wouldn’t let me read it, but I imagine she would just like some acknowledgement, being unable to meet her in person.”

“How is she since we last saw her?” Hoshiko asks.

“She’s improved, she helps out around the store. Every time I need something from the cellar she insists on getting it herself. At my age it is becoming difficult to manage those stairs. Still, I worry. She still doesn’t talk much, and she sometimes loses focus. I woke up one morning to find that she had apparently burned her arm trying to make breakfast.”

“Not too badly I hope.”

“I suspect it’s worse than she claims, but she refuses to let me even look at it. She’s been keeping her arm bandaged for over two weeks. I worry about her.”

“Perhaps I can convince her to let me look at it,” says Sister Cora, “I do have some healing knowledge.”

They arrive at the shop as the sun begins to sink in the sky, stretching the shadows cast by the city buildings.

“Wait here, I will fetch her.” Dorin says, climbing the staircase. When he comes back he hasn’t fetched his sister, however.

“She’s not in her room.” Trying very hard to hide his concern, he calls out to her but gets no reply. “Larisa!” He tries again, louder. Close to panic. Suddenly the door to the cellar swings open.

“I’m here Dorin, I just-” Larisa freezes upon seeing the Helsings. She stands in the doorway wide-eyed and still, as though the sight of the nuns has turned her to stone. Blood drips from her left arm and she clutches a fresh bandage in her right.

“Larisa, what happened?” Dorin rushes to his sister’s side and begins to apply the bandage himself.

“I… I uh…”

“What were you even doing down there?”

“Dorin, I-I don’t want to talk about it right now!”

Sister Cora’s face wears the same expression it had the afternoon when they first arrived in the city. Wheels turning.

“Mr. Ardelean, when was the last time you went into your cellar?”

“What does that have to do with-”

“We’d very much like to see it if you don’t mind.”

“No!” Larisa grips Dorin like a vise, what little color her face has left draining away. “You can’t go down there!”

Sister Cora steps forward, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

“I’m afraid I have to insist.”

“What is going on?” Dorin shouts, becoming increasingly agitated.

“Mr. Ardelean, maybe you should go find Sister Grace.” Cora says flatly. It’s not really a suggestion. “If you hurry, you might catch her before she leaves the gatehouse.”

Larisa wordlessly pleads with her brother.

“NOW, Mr. Ardelean!” Cora barks.

“B-but Larisa…”

“It’s okay, Mr. Ardelean,” Hoshiko says as soothingly as she can manage, “please just go and fetch Sister Grace and the others. We’ll keep Larisa safe, I promise. Go.”

Dorin shoots his sister one last helpless look before backing out of the store and bolting down the street. Once the sound of his footsteps fades, Cora begins to advance again.

“Stay back!”

“Larisa, tell us what’s going on, we can help.” Hoshiko tries to offer her hand to Larisa. She doesn’t accept it this time.

“I don’t need your help!”

“You are making a very dangerous mistake.” Sister Cora, always right to the point.

Hoshiko takes a hesitant step forward. “Larisa please, let us help you.”

Larisa extends her uninjured hand toward the two Helsings. “I said STAY BACK!” She screams and no sooner do the words leave her mouth than a jet of blue flames erupts from her palm. Hoshiko feels Cora slam into her, sending them both to the floor. She looks up in time to see the cellar door slam shut and hear the latch click. Sister Cora rises from the floor, bringing Hoshiko up with her, and sheds her smoldering cape.

“Hoshiko are you alright?”

“I-I think so, Sister. What about you?”

“I’m fine,” she says, stamping out the smoking spots on her cape before they can fully ignite, “we need to get through that door.”

Getting through the door turns out to be easy. Sister Cora stands to the side of the doorway and kicks backward, striking it just under the knob. The wood snaps and splinters in places and the broken door swings open violently. They descend into the cellar, a large single room, walls lined with barrels, crates and canvas bags. At the center of the room is an open drain in the stone floor, single lantern placed next to it the only source of light and at the far end of the room, just barely within the lantern’s glow is Larisa Ardelean down on one knee, her arm extended towards the darkness.

“Mina, take my hand, we have to go. We have to go now!”

The voice that answers her is hoarse and pained, as if its owner were choking on something foul. But even still, it is unmistakably that of a child. “Mommy? How did I get here?”

“I’ll explain later, darling we have to leave!”

Into the lantern light steps a small figure. A little girl, or at least it used to be. Her skin is now pale, almost a blue sort of clammy grey. Her hands and feet are caked with dirt and her fingernails are broken and jagged. From digging out of the grave, Hoshiko thinks. But worst of all is the girl’s face. Her mouth now is filled with wicked, dagger-sharp fangs and her lips are stained red with what Hoshiko realizes is fresh blood. Larisa’s blood. Her eyes blaze with bloody crimson to match as they lock with her mother’s eyes.

“I’m hungry.”

“I know baby, I know. I’ll feed you soon but first we-”

“Larisa, step away!” Cora shouts, taking aim with her crossbow.

“No! She didn’t do anything wrong!” Larisa whirls to face the Helsings, snatching up a broom and placing herself between them and Mina. Hand fixed on her sword, eyes fixed on the girl, Hoshiko slowly tries to maneuver herself into a flanking position.

“It could have killed someone!” Cora shouts.

“She can’t help it! She needs it, she needs…” She pauses, unable to bring herself to say it.

“She needs blood.” Hoshiko says with numb horror.

“You’ve been feeding it.” Cora says, disgusted. She seems to almost spit the words at Larisa’s feet. Almost close enough to strike, Hoshiko doesn’t take her eyes off of Mina. Slowly, slowly she draws her sword.

“She’s my daughter! And she’s confused! She doesn’t understand what’s going on, she doesn’t remember! I have to help her!”

“It’s not your daughter anymore!” Cora snaps.

“NO!”

Eyes still fixed on Mina, Hoshiko’s concentration is broken by the sight of an arrow whizzing past and striking a bag of rice. She looks over in time to see Cora impact the wall before losing her footing and slumping to the floor. The next thing she sees is Larisa Ardelean’s tear-stained face, clenching her teeth with rage and exertion. In less time than it takes her to blink, something hard and wooden breaks against the side of her head. Her face impacts the cold stone floor and she sees Larisa’s feet rushing past her as a broken broom clatters to the floor. Over the ringing in her ears she can make out Larisa’s voice.

“Mina! Mina it’s okay! Mommy’s here!”

Hoshiko has to stop her. To keep her away from that monster. She desperately struggles to rise to her feet, wincing, puts a hand to her head. It stings. It comes away red. Hoshiko tries to stand up fully but a wave of nausea overwhelms her. Bracing against the wall, she turns her attention toward Larisa and Mina. Rather, the creature that used to be Mina. It’s not human anymore, she tells herself. It’s a monster. Even so, in the full light it looks so small and so sad. Hoshiko can’t help but pity the creature. As the ringing in her ears subsides, she picks up the hushed words they’re using.

“Where are we?”

“Mina, I’ve already told you where we are!” Larisa sobs, “Please, you have to focus, you have to remember!”

“You said we were in Eden. You said the Bright One was here but I haven’t seen her. Mommy, did you lie?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I love you Mina, I love you so much!”

The thing that used to be Mina cocks its head, a quizzical expression on its face. The creature’s red eyes stare blankly, as it seems to consider what it’s just heard. Finally, it approaches the sobbing woman.

“I love you too, mommy.”

Still in a daze, Hoshiko looks to see Sister Cora taking careful aim at the creature. Larisa doesn’t deserve to see this, she thinks. we have to get her out of here. Pushing herself off of the wall, she reaches out for Cora. “Wait!” No sooner does the word come out than she loses her footing again, falling hard against a stack of crates.

“Hoshiko!”

At that sound the dead girl’s crimson eyes snap to the Helsings. The creature suddenly grips Larisa’s shoulder and throws her to the floor. In an instant, before either sister can react, it leaps onto Sister Cora and its fangs are buried in her throat, a wet gurgling sound escaping her lips. The next sound Hoshiko hears is the sound of Larisa Ardelean screaming in horror.

“MINA STOP IT!”

The creature’s crimson eyes blaze with fury and bloodlust, almost seeming to glow. It pulls its head away from Cora’s neck, taking a piece of her throat with it with a wet tearing sound. It spits the chunk of wet flesh onto the floor and snarls at Larisa.

“M-Mina…”

Fresh blood still dripping from its mouth, it makes to approach the horror-stricken Larisa. Hoshiko cautiously approaches Sister Cora lying in a rapidly expanding pool of blood. She looks into her mentor’s bloody face to see her still clinging to life, tears streaming from her eyes. Her eyes. Her eyes lock with Hoshiko’s and then flit towards her dropped crossbow. Hoshiko nods that she understands and turns her attention to the crossbow.

“Mina please…” Larisa drops to her knees, simultaneously seeming to beg and to surrender. Even with seemingly all traces of humanity gone, the bloodteeth stops short of sinking its fangs into Larisa’s throat. Instead, it takes her head in its hands and stares into her eyes. “Oh gods, Mina please…”

The creature cocks its head in that quizzical way again.

“Mommy, why are you crying?”

Having slowly slid across the floor to the crossbow’s position, Hoshiko makes a clumsy grab for the weapon. The sound of her straining gets the bloodteeth’s attention and in an instant it stands above Hoshiko. Kicking the crossbow aside it grabs her by her hair and begins to lift her up towards its mouth. Desperately kicking and reaching for anything please anything she can use, Hoshiko feels her hand fall upon something hard and wooden. Without thinking about it, she seizes the broken broom handle and drives the jagged end into the monster’s side. The creature lets out an unearthly shriek and hurls Hoshiko against the wall. With no time to catch her breath, she clumsily grabs for Cora’s crossbow. She gets a hold of it and turns to aim at the furious creature, drawing a bead on it just as it frees the broken handle from its side and locks its fiery eyes on Hoshiko’s. It lunges. She pulls the trigger. The bloodteeth’s red, red eyes go wide. It gasps, stumbles, and finally crumples to the floor as if it were a puppet whose strings had been cut. Hoshiko’s arm goes limp, the crossbow clattering to the floor. Her vision blurs. Her eyes close. She can hear screaming, footsteps, voices all talking at once, then nothing. Darkness takes her.

\---

A week passes. Two. Hoshiko stands in the snow, high in the mountains, clutching a dead woman’s rosary in her hand and staring down at a marble slab. She reads the words carved into it over and over, but no matter how many times she reads them she can’t make them make sense. CORA. BELOVED SISTER. The words almost seem to accuse her, to say you could have prevented this. She thinks about how everything could have gone so wrong so quickly. She thinks about Cora and all the things she never got to say to her. She wishes she could’ve had the chance to say she was sorry. And she remembers. She remembers drinking Sister Cora’s tea before it could get cold. She remembers the feeling of Cora’s blood on her hands. The sight of her lifeless eyes staring back at her. The monster that used to be a little girl collapsing to the floor with her arrow through its heart. The way Larisa screamed and screamed.

“Hoshiko?” A familiar voice pulls her back into the present. A familiar accent. A hand on her shoulder. “Sister Anuja sent me to fetch you. She says there is a storm coming.” 

Hoshiko takes a knee beside her teacher’s grave and gently lays the rosary down on top of it. She stands and they turn, the two of them, and walk back towards the castle.

“I haven’t seen you at dinner in a while. Why don’t you join me in the dining hall, I’m sure Sister Anuja can make us something hot to eat.”

Hoshiko doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t much feel like eating. She doesn’t feel like talking either. They make it the rest of the way in silence. They stand at the doorway but they don’t go inside, not yet.

“Hoshiko, I know it does not mean much, but I am sorry. About Sister Cora.”

“It’s my fault.”

“Eh?”

“Sister Cora’s gone because of me,” Hot, shameful tears gather in her eyes, beginning to spill down her face. “because I was weak. I took pity on a… a monster!” 

“I do not think compassion is the same as weakness. It sometimes makes it difficult to do what is necessary, but it is also our reason for fighting. Each of us here has lost something… someone. That is why we lay down our lives to protect the innocent. Sister Cora knew that. I don’t think she would blame you for what happened.”

All Hoshiko can do is bow her head. She hears the door open. Feels the same familiar hand on her shoulder.

“Hoshiko, I know how it is, to lose someone and be helpless to save them. You do not have to face this burden alone, we are in this together, da?”

“Thank you, Sister.” Hoshiko says, wiping her eyes.

“What are Sisters for, eh? Now will you come have dinner with me?”

Hoshiko smiles despite herself and decides that maybe she is hungry after all.

“I-I will. I’ll meet you in the dining hall.”

“Da. I will tell Sister Anuja to expect you.”

“Olga?”

“Mm?”

“For what it’s worth, I was sorry to hear about Zrina.”

“… I wasn’t able to save her, but I have learned since then. I won’t let it happen again.”

Hoshiko casts her gaze back to the marble headstone, etching it into her memory.

“Neither will I.”


End file.
